A Dragon May Love an Angel
by Janvier Etoile
Summary: Old unfinished story. Will probably stay that way unless am bombarded with requests for a end.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own the sickening little ferret or any characters related to him, because if I did, he would bounce a **whole** lot more. :D

Author's Note: This story's title took me a complete two hours to think of, after contemplating such cheesy variations as "Draco's Lost Love", "Mal Foi Draco" and even "American Ferret" (Don't ask). The time spent on the title therefore means that you should pay no attention to it whatsoever, and just focus on reading and reviewing. Thank you for your time, there is more coming very soon. Enjoy.:D

* * * * *

Harry's eyes flitted over the scene before him. Parchment was strewn all over the floor; a pair of cat-eye glasses were smashed into little pieces; a book lay open, pages fluttering in the wind. In the midst of it all was a pale blonde with piercing brown eyes and an almost too pointy nose. She was frantically trying to gather her things and shove them into a leather bag. The sun poured in the large open windows, except for the area around her, where a dark shadow was being cast. Harry knew all too well what was casting it; it was in the habit of casting shadows wherever it could. 

The "it" was a boy who could have passed as the girl's twin, except that he was much taller and looked as though he had just recovered from being seasick. A horrible grin was stretched across his face, as he stood observing his handiwork. 

"Malfoy, you sickening little ferret." Harry stooped to help pick up the parchment.

Malfoy's nose twitched before he could stop it. 

"Oh, I thought she did it to be funny. I was just enjoying the entertainment." The grin turned to a scowl. Harry was reaching into his robe for his wand when footsteps sounded.

"Now you're in for it." Harry smiled as he backed away from the scene and stood, arms folded. But the footsteps didn't belong to the person he expected. A look of horror spread across the girl's face as she stacked the last piece of parchment. 

"Miss le Fay, are you having trouble keeping your things organized?" came a sneering voice from behind Harry. 

"N- no. I was just heading towards the hall when-"

"When she wasn't looking where she was going and ploughed right into me!" Malfoy finished the sentence with a flourish of his hand, "Awfully rude if you ask me. I say she owes me an apology."

Harry's face became red with rage. "Professor Snape, that was _not _the way it was at all."

The greasy haired man turned towards Harry with flaring nostrils. 

"Did I ask YOU?!"

"No sir, but I saw what happened and Draco is simply being his usual horrible self. He's lying." 

The professor glanced from Harry, to Draco, to the girl, and back to Harry again.

"Or," his faced tightened, "are you sure this isn't just a house fight in which a bumbling 5th year got caught?" 

He said _bumbling_ with a certain flourish. 

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, help Miss le Fay pick up her things, and then move on. And twenty points from Gryffindor for meddling in business not its own." He swept down the hall and out of sight.

The girl stood up and glanced from one boy to the other.

"You heard Snape, help her pick these things up." Harry said as he bent down to close the book.

"Oh yes. Pick them up. Right." Draco's defiant grin had returned as he lifted his wand.

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"Wingardium Leviosa" he said, and marched off, leaving Harry and Autumn le Fay snatching at the now floating parchment.

* * * * * * *

For three days afterward, Malfoy took the time out of his day to make sure he threw a nasty grin at Autumn and a flash-eyed scowl at Harry every time he saw them. After that, he returned to his usual ignorance of Autumn's existence, though the scowl at Harry simply lost its glint, as though Draco had gotten lazy. Things hadn't always been quite this way though.

At the beginning of Harry and Draco's sixth year at Hogwarts, Autumn le Fay had transferred as a 5th year from a school in America. It was a rare occurrence, and Albus Dumbledore, along with the other professors, had decided she should be put in Slytherin house, where the majority of Americans went. No one ever thought to consult the sorting hat, for it tended to get somewhat confused if the student wasn't a first year. So to Slytherin she went. 

About a week after school had begun, Autumn approached Hermione Granger, Harry's close friend, at the library. She stuck out her hand and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Autumn le Fay. I've noticed you tend to hang out in the library a lot like me, and I was wondering if you wanted to – study together or something? Since I've heard that your really smart."

Hermione's eyes moved up and down the green and black outfitted girl as she shook the hand.

"Uh, Hermione Granger, and… aren't you a Slytherin?"

Autumn drew a blank look and then realized Hermione was focusing on her sweater and skirt. 

"Oh yeah, the outfit. Heh, I'm not a huge green snake fan myself, but I've gotten used to it. See, I got matching bracelets." She poked an arm full of black and green bangles towards Hermione. 

Hermione, who hadn't been known to wear jewelry but a few times in her life, just smiled vaguely and nodded. She assumed Autumn wasn't used to the house rivalries that so often occurred at Hogwarts, especially between Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"They're… nice."

"Thanks-"  
Autumn was about to continue when a black haired Slytherin poked her head around the library door. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of Hermione.

"Autumn, we're going to be late for potions. C'mon." 

"K- hey, it was great meeting you, Hermione. Catcha later."

She waved as she bolted out of the room.

Hermione was left speechless.

* * * * *

"Have you met the new Slytherin?"  
Ronald Weasley shoved a biscuit in his mouth and shook his head. 

"What's she like?" 

Harry was sipping a cup of tea in the dining hall, carefully watching Cho Chang, 

whom he had had a crush on since 3rd year, from across the room. He didn't notice the red-haired girl down the table boring a hole through his head with her eyes. It was Saturday morning, and a few people had straggled in early to beat the breakfast rush. Ron swallowed noisily.

"Probably like every other Slytherin, a ferret. Wonder how well she bounces?" he smirked as Harry chuckled.

"Actually, that's what's so strange. She's not." 

Hermione was deep in thought, staring at the sparsely populated Slytherin table. Ron faked choking. 

"Stop it. She's liable to see you." 

"Right. All the way from her common room." He shoved down another mouthful of biscuit.

At that moment, the entrance of two Slytherins caught the threesome's attention. It was Draco Malfoy, side by side with none other than Autumn le Fay herself.

Ron's eyes got wide with mock surprise.

"Not a ferret, you say?"

Hermione's face showed some amount of disappointment.

"And she seemed so nice too. It would figure she was just acting it to make fun of me."

She buried her face back into a book and Ron finished off his biscuit. Harry's attention had shifted to the girl and boy, talking at another table. 

"I wouldn't judge so fast. It seems our new Slytherin has done a number on Malfoy. For one, I don't see Crabbe and Goyle anywhere. And if I'm not mistaken, Draco just complimented her on her bracelets." 

Ron turned to see Autumn jangling them around on her arm and smiling.

This time he really choked.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Draco, I don't own Hogwarts, etc., and my initials are not J.K. But I do own Autumn, so hands off or she'll sic her dark pool nightmares on ya. Read below for more info on side effects.

A.N.: Hey now, we've actually gotten to some Autumn/Draco action. I'm not quite sure if I would classify it as fluff, or dialogue… but it was fun to write ^_^

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Muchos thanks to my beta, Jenni of serene-silence.net. If she hadn't done all the work she did, you wouldn't be reading this now. Not that you probably are anyway…

Chapter 2: In Which Draco Malfoy Falls into Black Pools

Draco Malfoy had been taught since he was very young that the only admirable traits in a female were that she were beautiful, smart (if not slightly crafty), and most importantly, of the purest wizard blood. Up until this point the only girls who had ever fit one of these traits had failed utterly in the other two. The smartest girl in the school, Hermione Granger, was to Malfoy repulsively ugly (this would have been disputed fiercely by a certain redheaded Gryffindor), though more repulsive was the fact that she was a mudblood, a half-breed, a muggle born. Pansy Parkinson was of pure wizard blood, yet her looks and intellect anyone would question. By his 5th year, Malfoy had decided that girls were worth nothing except their money and his family's approval. It seemed certain he would keep this opinion all his life.

On the first day of his 6th year at Hogwarts, Draco sauntered into the dining hall for dinner, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle, who served more as bodyguards than friends. His icy silver eyes swept over the room, settling menacingly on a black-haired boy at the Gryffindor table.

"Let's say hello to our friend Mr. Potter, boys." He drawled with a slight smirk on his handsome face.

Harry Potter was excitedly conversing with Hermione and Ron. As Draco approached Harry's back, Hermione, who was opposite the unsuspecting Gryffindor, stopped talking abruptly and set her jaw.

"Beat it Malfoy." She spouted.

"Miss Granger, I was certain you had more manners than to tell me to, what was that awful muggle phrase again? Oh yes, _beat it_ before I had a chance to say hello to Scarhead here. But I suppose those muggle parents of yours didn't teach you to respect other's feelings." 

Draco folded his arms, threw his head back, and laughed cruelly. By this time Harry and Ron had stood up and turned around, each clenching their fists tightly at their sides. 

"That's funny, I didn't think you had feelings. As a matter of fact, I was quite sure you didn't." Hermione quipped.

Draco leaned inward onto the table with a look of detestation. "_Then you have your facts wrong_, mudblood. That's a first, now isn't it?" he sneered spitefully.

Hermione's two friends had had enough. Harry and Ron lunged at Draco, and what happened afterwards was whispered about in common rooms until after the New Year. All of it happened in a swirl before Hermione's eyes, and it wasn't over until a growling Snape pulled the boys apart. Draco came out with a bloody nose and gash in his forehead. Ron sustained a black eye, and Harry complained of a headache and sore knuckles for a week afterwards. All together, 100 points were taken from each house and 30 hours of detention were to be put in on the parts of the three boys. 

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When Father hears about this...I could have at least won.

Draco glared furiously at Harry and Ron from across the hospital wing. Though in the back of his mind he marveled at how much pain the two Gryffindors had inflicted upon him, he was furious at having not won the brawl, nor even having had the chance to bring it to completion. His father never minded him fighting anyone, in fact Draco might have gone as far as to say that Lucius Malfoy encouraged conflict of any kind. But the youngest Malfoy could hear his Father's angry voice already ...

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You insolent fool, how many times have I told you to never, **never**, **NEVER** let anyone shame you in such a way. You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name!

As he shuffled back inside the Slytherin common room that evening, he could almost feel his father's rock hard hand, seasoned by years worth of beatings, smashing against his head. Unknowingly, he winced. Immediately following, a head popped up over the back of a black and green chair. 

"Hey. You okay?"

Draco stared straight ahead and cursed himself silently for not walking faster. He was not going to talk to a soul. But then again, perhaps talking to someone would make him feel better. Yes, he needed to _insult_ someone horribly. Drawing himself up to his full and proper height, he swirled towards the speaker vengefully.

Now_that_ was a bloody smart move. 

His head throbbed painfully from the fast movement and he gripped the back of the occupied chair for support before bowing his head. Maybe he would forgo insulting for the night. 

"Gosh, what happened to you?" came a girl's voice that to Draco was almost so clear and so melodious that it hurt him all the more. Whoever it was now stood right in front of him, so close he could feel her breath lightly on his neck. He continued to stare at the floor, breathing deep and long, and waiting for the pain to subside slightly. The girl repeated her first question again softly.

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"Shut up." Draco blurted. He raised his head angrily. 

"Sorry."

But it wasn't a crass reply. It was the reply of someone who cared. And it came from a face Draco could have mistaken as his sister's, if he had had one. The girl had ghostly white skin, but somehow it glowed in the light of the fire nearby. Her face consisted of a seriously straight nose, delicate mouth, and platinum blonde hair that framed her face, falling in layers by her eyes. And her _eyes_. Draco had heard other boys talk about girls with beautiful eyes, he even thought he had known a few at times, but these were definitely the highlight of this girl's face. They were dark brown, so deep they were almost black; black pools of thought and beauty. They were shaped in a way that made Draco feel as though they were seeing into his very soul. They were fixed at this moment on his own stormy gray eyes, which seemed for a second to soften under their gaze.

But only for a second. 

Draco had met girls like this before. The stupid, gawking, caring kind. She was nothing special. Why hadn't he seen her before, though? It made him furious to think that that idiot Dumbledore was letting stupid transfers in now without announcing their arrival. Especially transfers to Slytherin. Perhaps he had been too busy that day to notice her. Whatever the explanation, he now only wanted her to go away. To leave him alone to stare into the fire and decide what he was going to tell his Father. 

But she didn't leave. She simply stood there with a look of sympathy on her face, an awkward sort of smile that portrayed pity. 

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Pity. I don't need pity, he wanted to scream. _I'm a **Malfoy**, and Malfoys **don't need pity**._

But all that came out was a growl, and he stomped painfully away from the common room towards his dorm.

* * * * *

Draco awoke the next morning with deep bags under his eyes and the worst headache he'd had in years. He had barely slept at all the night before, the pain had been so fierce and unmerciful that sleep had eluded him. And when he had finally been able to sleep, his slumber had been riddled with dreams of horrible, dark, deep pools that wanted to swallow him up for all eternity. 

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Black pools of thought and beauty.

The girl. The eyes. Yes, _idiotic gawking girl_, he reminded himself, almost hoping she had only been part of his nightmares.

He cursed under his breath as he pushed his hair down on his head and got dressed. One look in the mirror confirmed what he had indeed already dreaded – he looked awful. Not only did he have a large red mark on his temple, but the left side of his nose was swollen and raw. He grabbed some hair gel and smashed it onto his head. No luck. It was to him the forewarning of a horrible day to come.

Crabbe and Goyle were still snoring loudly, with no appearance of awakening any time soon. Draco crawled down to the common room and darted his eyes around. No pale blonde to gawk at him this morning. Honestly, she had been worse than Moaning Myrtle. He settled himself in a chair by the fire and wondered what time it was. He tried to focus on what he would say to his Father; how he would say it; what he would look like; how the infamous Lucius Malfoy would react. 

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Father, there were two of them, and those dolts Crabbe and Goyle didn't do anything to help me. I was all alone. 

****

All alone.

It suddenly occurred to Draco that that was exactly what he was. Alone. No one cared what happened to him. He supposed he could jump out a window, fall to the ground and crack his skull open, and no one would come to pick up his pieces or mourn his passing. No one would cry, except possibly his mother, if his father even let her find out that a Malfoy would do something as disgraceful as die. No one would have sympathy… or _pity_ on him. 

_She simply stood with a look of sympathy on her face, an awkward sort of smile that portrayed pity. _

Draco turned towards the fire and focused his eyes intently on the flickering flames of heat. He would never be what his father so desperately wanted him to become. What would he turn out to be then? A sniveling, slimy recluse, like Snape? Or perhaps dark, frightening, yet horribly stupid like Tom Riddle a.k.a. Voldemort. It then occurred to him that possibly Lucius Malfoy wanted Draco to be something he himself had never been able to achieve. Perhaps Draco would turn out like his Father. Now _there_ was a frightening thought. So frightening, in fact, that it jolted Draco from his vigil and back into the common room, where Pansy Parkinson stood smirking at him. 

"I heard you decided to have a little fun last evening."

Draco could tell by the look of thrilled amusement on her face that the previous night's events had already been passed around most of the school.

"By the way, love the new look, you could almost pass as Scarhead himself." She said in a nasal voice.

Draco realized that at any moment, people would be streaming down from their dorms, through the common room, and out to the dining hall. And they would see him. Like this.

**__**

Not **like this**.

Draco bolted up out of the chair, practically knocking down a giggling Pansy. At least he would be in the dining room before everyone else. He snatched his cloak on, and raced out of the Slytherin common room. He didn't even take his usual time to poke fun at the paintings or to try stepping on (more like through) Nearly Headless Nick's robe. Each step pounded in his head, and when he finally reached the dining hall, he was so exhausted he sat down and threw his head onto his arms. Thoughts and memories flooded his head furiously as students streamed in. Each snippet of conversation turned itself, in his mind, into a horrifying reminder of how miserable his life truly was. 

"Beat it Malfoy."

I could have at least won.

You insolent fool!

His own gray eyes seemed for a second to soften under their gaze.

I was all alone. 

No one cared what happened to him.

I was **all alone.**

Yes, Draco Malfoy had for certain disgraced his Father's name. It had not only been the previous day, but for his entire life.

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And someone was going to pay.

**__**


	3. Chapter Three

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Disclaimer: Ok, why do we have to have humorous disclaimers? I mean, come on people, I'm serious. I don't own anything in this story except the somewhat plot and Autumn le Fay. I am not J.K. Rowling. The end. See? It's really quite easy to keep a straight face if you try.

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A/N.: Well, I'm excited about chapter 3, even though it's one of those "this chapter is only here to move the plot *cough* whatplot? *cough* along. It leaves a lot of questions, I know. They shall be answered in future chapters, but if you think I'm liable to forget to answer one, post it in a review! I'll love you forever… 

P.S. I was gonna get a ferret today. But mum wouldn't let me have it. ;_;

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Again, thanks to Jenni of Serene-Silence.net. This till probably be her last beta read for a while though, as things are getting busy, so perhaps next chapter we shall have a guest beta… ^_^

* * * * *

Autumn le Fay was a bright girl. At least that's what her family had always said. She came from an old wizarding family that produced a long line of powerful (and in Autumn's opinion, sometimes just plain screwy) witches and wizards, dating back to Merlin and beyond. They claimed she deserved the best of schooling. (Which both her parents concurred she was not receiving at her current school in America) She was therefore shipped off to Hogwarts within the hour they had received word the transfer was accepted.

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Fine time to send me to a new school. I mean, my 5th year, what were they thinking?

Though she thought this, Autumn was not one to complain on the outside. To everyone else, she took it in stride. The transfer, the sorting into what her father explained was "the most ambitious house in all of Europe. All the greats were Slytherins, so I've heard!", and the new fellow students. Ah yes, the new group of could-be friends that she would soon charm with her astounding grace and beauty. 

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Yeah, right.

Her first day had been frighteningly hectic. She had rushed from one class to the other, while meeting and trying to impress her new professors, dodging nervous first years, and settling into her new dorm. She supposed it was just her, but her dorm seemed frightfully dark and dreary compared to her vibrant sunny room at her old school. The walls were composed of some sort of black stone, which reflected almost everything. The furniture was mainly green and black, and even the flames burning in the fireplace seemed to have a greenish tint to them. 

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House spirit, I suppose, Autumn pondered gloomily that evening as she slouched in one of the black chairs. The common room was empty, considering most of the other students were still socializing or studying elsewhere. She had been there for several hours, reading letters from home and contemplating the classes on her schedule. 

  
She had almost nodded off to sleep when she was startled by a muffled groan. She twisted around in her chair just in time to see a tall boy of about her age heading towards the boy's dorms. He had one hand on his head and a swollen nose protruded from his pale face.

"Hey. You okay?" she asked, though it was quite obvious he was not.

His reply was to swing with a large force towards her, a menacing look on his face. He had obviously overexerted himself, for he gripped the chair and stood staring at the floor. Autumn slid out of her chair and came around to stand a few inches in front of him. 

"Gosh, what happened to you?" she tilted her head down curiously, wondering at the same time whether or not the boy was quite sober. Maybe he needed help getting to the hospital wing. 

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"Shut up." He snapped as he yanked his head upright.

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Well, we're making progress. At least he's talking now, she thought. Aloud, she murmured "I'm sorry", but the first word disappeared on her lips as she stared at the face now raised before her. The boy had obviously been in an accident of some sort, yet the look of anger on his face made her wonder if it had been an accident at all. Besides his raw nose, his forehead bore what appeared to be the remnants of a fresh wound. His shiny blonde hair was mussed, draping lazily in front of his cold, yet brilliant, gray eyes. His countenance was one of a dragon in search of its prey.

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I suppose if he didn't look as though he just fell 200 feet off a broomstick and landed on a pile of jagged rocks, he **could** be quite handsome, Autumn mused to herself.

But it was obvious he wasn't interested in his appearance at the moment. Wondering exactly what she should do, Autumn remained where she stood, afraid to speak. Her question was answered soon enough. The boy with the dragon countenance glanced at her once more, then without another word, stormed out of the common room towards the 6th years' boy dorms. 

"Yeah, nice to meet you too_._" She muttered sarcastically as she gathered her belongings before heading up to her own dorm, and to bed.

* * * * *

Draco Malfoy had a plan. This wasn't some cheesy "plan to extract revenge and take over the world, **mwahaha**"type either. It was simple and brilliant, and most importantly: it would work. The only thing was that Draco didn't know he had a brilliant plan. It had been forming subconsciously in his devious mind for the past four weeks. And today was the day, the day it would be carried out. The day was the first Quidditch game of the season between Gryffindor and Slytherin. The Slytherin seeker yanked on his green Quidditch cloak and snatched up his trusty Firebolt 4000, the best broom currently available. 

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Four weeks. Four long weeks of hearing nothing but whispers, and giggles, spoken when he entered a room or walked down the halls. Four long weeks of watching his red forehead and swollen nose slowly, too slowly in fact, return to normal. Four long weeks of watching the famous Boy-Who-Lived and his redhead sidekick get attention and sympathy when their little mudblood friend recounted how Malfoy had "brutally attacked" them. Four weeks, parts of which had been spent doing all number of House-Elf jobs in detention. 

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Clean the prefects' bathroom indeed. 

Malfoys didn't _clean _anything, with the general exception of their platinum blonde manes, of course. 

Draco smoothed his own hair as he strode towards the Quidditch arena. Fortunately they hadn't taken away his Quidditch playing privileges. His father had made sure of that. Oh yes, his father had made sure a lot of things. Draco was still allowed to play Quidditch, go to Hogsmeade, go to this year's Yule Ball, and … that other special privilege no one talked about. (Honestly, what _was_ so bad about having your own carriage take you on trips on the weekends?) Indeed, Draco should have been quite happy to have had dodged so much of Snape's intended punishment. He should have been happy to have gotten nothing from his father except a letter of reprimand. (Howlers were far below the Malfoys, yet that ink certainly _did_ look blood red now that he really thought about it…). But he was miserable. So what if his father had been too busy to kill him (and to come to his Quidditch game, for that matter); If his peers' looks could kill…

The arena was filled with students dressed in their house robes and cloaks, cheering as each team marched onto the field. Draco stood by himself, squinting at the crowds in the sunlight. There were Potter's miserable friends, waving excitedly at Harry and smiling far too much. There was Colin Creevey, the mousy fifth year, (who was starting to get unhumanly tall, if you asked Draco) snapping pictures at an incredible rate. 

"Mount your brooms!" Came Madame Hooch's loud voice.

Draco floated far above the field and the teams. Across the arena from the Gryffindors were the Slytherins, seeming none the worse for having a humiliating Seeker. Crabbe and Goyle were stuffing their faces, as usual, and Pansy Parkinson sat with a brown-headed Hufflepuff. She had dyed her hair a creepy bluish-black, and was wearing some of the largest hoop earrings Draco had ever seen. He suddenly realized how much he had missed in the past four weeks. Though he had seen them almost every day, he realized many of his fellow students had changed drastically. They had either grown since the year before, gained a new boyfriend/girlfriend, or changed so much he couldn't even recognize them. 

Then another face caught his eye. It was the girl he had met his first night that year. The one who had gawked, and was gawking still. The minute his eyes met hers though, she turned away, and shoved a chocolate frog offered her by Goyle into her mouth. Draco kept staring, however. She was another person he hadn't had time to notice in the month previous. And yet he now remembered all the times he had felt eyes in the back of his head. It had to have been that idiot girl, no doubt. Though why she was so interested in him he had no idea. His pondering time was cut short, however, for the snitch was let loose, and he and Harry were off after it, neck and neck.

Autumn le Fay sat excitedly in her seat, watching the game with anticipation. Very few people knew it by the look of her, but Autumn was an excellent Quidditch player, and enjoyed a good game any day of the week. For her first four years at her old school, she had been the champion seeker, winning four games in a row her third year, two in a row her fourth. Her small size, quick eye, and good balance, helpful in catching elusive snitches, were her trademarks. But this year she had given up Quidditch, choosing instead to bury herself in her books. And for some reason, she didn't regret it one bit. 

As the teams had filed onto the field, she had studied each face carefully, finally realizing why she hadn't seen some of these faces as often as other students. Quidditch players practiced hard and often, sometimes receiving special permission from professors to practice during class time. She had seen a few faces on each team that she recognized. For one, Harry Potter, Gryffindor seeker, and two, Ron Weasley, keeper for the same team. On the Slytherin side, she had recognized several more. There was Niles Wynters, the disgustingly rude keeper who her first week at Hogwarts had asked her to Hogsmeade. (More like _told_ her she would go with him. Were all these Slytherins alike? She refused him to his snub-nosed face.) Also Astrella Vallette, the raven-haired beauty (who _didn't_ know her?) who played beater.

Then her eyes settled on the Slytherin seeker. Draco Malfoy. She had gathered his name only after a practically ruthless interrogation of Pansy and co. (They had replied with "Who wants to know?!"s spattered with shrieks and giggles.) She thought it a fitting name for the boy with the dragon countenance. Yet his surname came as no surprise. She was sure her family knew the Malfoys somewhat, for they had been around as long as the le Fays, possibly longer. But she also knew the connotations the Malfoy name had. It was not only a name that meant pride and riches, but some of the darkest wizards ever known in the wizarding world. It had all started to make sense after a letter from her older sister. 

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Dearest Autumn,

In response to your last letter, yes, the Malfoy name is well known to our family, but we have not had contact with them for many years, since the beginning of the war. This focuses mainly around the fact that Lucius Malfoy is a suspected Deatheater, often thought to have worked closely with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, though Lucius claims he was under a spell, and denies any current connection with the dark wizard. Of course everyone knows who stopped H-W-M-N-B-N. Harry Potter himself. This may have caused some of the animosity you described between Harry and Draco. I'm not sure of the youngest Malfoy's intentions in life, but considering his family background I would be wary before befriending him. Good luck on your Divination exam.

As Always, Your Loving Sister,

Sommer.

Animosity, indeed! Autumn had made a mental note to herself to be careful when the two boys were anywhere near each other. And at this point in the Quidditch game, with both seekers on the same field, she realized the gravity of the situation. She kept her eyes alert, looking for any sign of the gold snitch. The seekers were circling the arena in opposite directions, every so often playing a game of chicken in the sky, one or the other dodging elaborately at the last moment. Autumn got more than slightly irritated when one of these games took place almost directly above her.

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Idiots. If they just keep going in circles, that stupid snitch will never be caught, and we could be here all day!

Draco was fuming, his anger gathering more and more with each lap around the field. Everything was going as planned, and as he swooped once more over the Gryffindor box, he felt inside his cloak. His wand was still there, waiting to do its work. Then, before anyone knew what was happening, Draco swooped higher upwards and then towards the middle of the arena, ready to draw his wand once there. Gasps came from the audience, thinking he had spotted the snitch. But at this moment something happened that no one had expected, including Draco.

__

One of the bludgers was roped. This had happened only once before at a Hogwarts game, and the bludger had nearly killed Harry. Though fortunately – or not so fortunately, as it turned out – he ended up with only a broken arm. This time, the bludger was jumping from person to person, swirling about like a furious bumblebee before aiming itself at their heads or stomachs. Soon every player on the field was playing a game of dodgeball instead of Quidditch. Draco sat high above everyone, shocked and annoyed, not to mention forgotten by the horrified, and now silent, students in the stands. And then, all eyes were on him. The bludger had finally left its previous victim, Astrella Vallette, and was heading straight for the unsuspecting Slytherin seeker's back. 

"Draco, watch out!" Autumn screamed before she knew what she was doing. All Draco heard was a muffled shriek, but it was enough. He turned in time to make a nosedive, and then the chase was on. Draco attempted every trick in the book, trying to shake the bludger and smash it into something, the walls of the arena, the ground, anything. He was having no success. 

__

Perhaps I should let the bloody thing slam into me, it wouldn't do me any harm, and I would probably be doing everyone else a favor.

Autumn's mind was in a tizzy. The world around her seemed paralyzed with the fear that at any moment the bludger would aim itself at their heads. Madame Hooch was frantically calling the players from the air, while at the same time keeping a close eye on Draco and the ruthless bludger. Autumn then realized she was moving. She was getting up from her seat and running towards the entrance of the field, where Madame Hooch and almost all of both teams stood. 

"Madame Hooch, how are we going to stop it?!" came Astrella's usually liquid smooth voice, now shrieky in tone. 

"I suppose someone will have to go up there and get it. But I'm not risking any of you all on that thing." 

Madame Hooch then reached for her own broom, and appeared about to take off, when a voice came from behind her.

"Let me go get it. Please." 

The professor turned to look into Autumn le Fay's wide-eyed face. Then she turned back around, ignoring her.

"PLEASE! I know what I'm doing!"

Madame Hooch turned around once more, took a narrow-eyed sweeping glance of the girl, and then handed Autumn her own broom almost grudgingly. 

"You'd _better_ know what you're doing."

Autumn was on it and in the air before it occurred to her exactly what she _was_ doing. She, Autumn le Fay, was going to single-handedly save the Slytherin seeker from a roped bludger?! What had she been thinking?! But she realized it was too late to turn back now. Below, Professor Snape was begging Madame Hooch for a reason as to why Autumn, and not herself, was on that broom. It was the last thing Autumn heard before she was far above the field.

__

I honestly wish I knew myself, Professor. 

A quick glance showed her exactly what kind of predicament Draco was in. He was slouched on his broom, holding on for dear life, and obviously growing extremely weary. Someone either needed to either catch the bludger or at least draw its attention away from Draco. Autumn decided on the latter option, considering it held the promise of the least injuries on her part. She swooped after Draco's Firebolt, and finally caught up to him; the bludger was following, gaining swiftly. 

"Go down!" She screamed.

Draco turned his head towards her with an annoyed, puzzled look.

"I said, land your broom!" She gestured to the ground this time.

"But that bloody thing is right behi-"

"Leave the bludger to me! _GO DOWN_!"

Draco wasn't going to complain at this point, he had been dodging the runaway bludger for a full twenty minutes now, and definitely would not mind a break. But just because he went to the field didn't mean the bludger would ignore him. 

"That thing will still follow me!"

"I know! Just trust me! I know what I'm doing!"

__

Trust her indeed. If only I weren't so exhausted – but I am **so** exhausted.

Draco threw one more annoyed "are you sure?" type glances at Autumn, only to find she had moved below him, almost to the ground, and sat hovering there. 

"On the count of three, dive! One, two, _three!_"

Draco asked no questions, but dropped suddenly. He hadn't realized how far up he had been flying until he was plummeting towards the ground. What this would accomplish he did not know, and was furiously trying to figure out, when a streak went past him, it going up as he went down. 

Autumn had sat below Draco until she yelled three, and then had shot up directly towards him. She had approached the seeker and the bludger rapidly. 

__

A few more feet…

Draco shot down past her, the bludger following closely behind his broom's tail. The bludger seemed to be paying no attention to Autumn, though she had hoped it would have. It seemed there was no other choice. Autumn moved in between the bludger and the retreating Draco, and sat balancing herself. The bludger was approaching at an amazing rate…

**__**

WHAP

Autumn turned sideways suddenly, hitting the bludger with the back end of her broom forcefully into left field. No sooner was it off than she followed suit, straining to catch up with it. She leaned forward, arm outstretched, reaching for the wayward ball. And then, as quickly as it had gone one way, the bludger went the other – straight towards Autumn. An audible gasp swept through the crowds , watching in horror as the ball hit her square in the stomach before her arms encircled it, clutching it tightly as it strained to get loose.

Draco had finally landed, and as he turned around was just in time to see Autumn fall onto the Quidditch field in a crumpled heap of black and green robes.


	4. Chapter Four

****

Disclaimer: I was very pessimistic last time I wrote a disclaimer, but this time I'm feeling quite cheerful. At times it seemed like I could be writing the bloody 6th book (especially at about page 7), but I know I could never do such a good job, and this isn't anywhere near as awesome as something J.K. would write. I don't own anybody or anything except Autumn, Niles, and Autumn's bracelet. Anyway, please please please don't sue me. Thanks.

A/N: Ok so I've given up on chapter titles. One and two were ok, but from then on… har.

Autumn's character may seem a little too perfect at this point… but think of it from Draco or Niles' view. When you like someone, and don't know much about them, they seem perfect to you. But in upcoming chapters we shall find out all humans have flaws…

****

Notes:

__

Ariana – Haha, sorry about the false chapter you found there. Teaches ya not to snoop, now doesn't it? XD

__

Chrissy – You rock for letting me be Autumn at 3 Broomsticks. You seriously do.

__

Maggie – You really think I have talent? Lier! J/K 3 ya.

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Emma & Abi - Happy ending my foot. It's called _angst._ And actually, so far, this story has very little of it. :P Eh, I'm an optimist at heart.

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Nymph - Thanks twice! I'm glad Autumn is somewhat interesting …

* * * * *

Sun poured in the large windows of the hospital wing, illuminating everything it touched, including the shiny blonde hair of a girl lying deathly still in one of the hospital beds. Her Slytherin cloak was draped over the back of a nearby chair, and sitting in the seat of the chair was a bludger. 

In the shadows a few beds over lay Draco Malfoy, staring silently at the vaulted ceiling. He shut his eyes and turned over as he heard someone entering the wing.

"Poor girl to have to share air with him." Ginny Weasley mused quietly, poking a moving figurine of a dragon, a gift from one of the many well wishers that had come to see Autumn le Fay. For hours students had silently streamed in and out of the hospital wing, leaving everything from cards to boxes of chocolate frogs for the unconscious girl, a heroine after her exploits at the Quidditch game. Madame Hooch was the girl's biggest fan, and had already promised she would receive a place on the Slytherin team (possibly replacing Draco, though he didn't know at the time) as soon as she was better. 

"Autumn le Fay, I knew I recognized the name. Three American minor league Quidditch titles, you know. That girl is a prodigy. A natural at catching the snitch, she is." Hooch had exclaimed.

"Ouch!" The dragon snapped lightly at Ginny's finger, and she swatted at it as it blew small amounts of flame.

"Shhh." 

  
Ginny jumped slightly, turning to see Harry, who was holding a rather large bag of Golden Snitch Candies. He smiled an awkward grin and set them down next to the dragon. 

"From Fred and George," he whispered. "Said she was a girl after their own hearts, stepping up to a challenge like that. They gave Ron and I money to buy her something at …" He paused and turned around to look at Draco, a disgusted look spreading across his face. "Why is he here?"

Ginny frowned. "I'm sure he found something to complain about after being chased by that bludger. Probably ruined his complexion or something." She changed subject abruptly, wondering if it had just been her, or had the Slytherin seeker twitched?

"I heard Niles Wynters is having a rough time." She said in a loud whisper, making a mischievous gesture towards Draco. Harry caught on.

"Yeah, seems Autumn was the first girl he had actually ever had – serious feelings for." His voiced faltered a little on the last words, suddenly feeling queer in the redhead's presence.

"You wouldn't think he would find any support in Slytherin, though, would you?" Ginny asked quickly. "But it seems everyone came to his rescue the minute she hit the ground. Unlike _other_ Slytherins, who don't seem to have any supporters anymore."

Harry snorted. "Seems so. But I suppose when all's said and done, not _every _Slytherin is that bad. I mean, you have to make exceptions once in a while, especially for someone like her." Harry threw a meaningful glance at Autumn.

"I overheard Pansy telling Astrella today that if Autumn doesn't wake up soon, Niles might have a nervous breakdown." Ginny raised one eyebrow sympathetically. "She said he's been here every day whenever he doesn't have classes, even forgoing Quidditch practice."

"That bad, huh?" was Harry's whispered reply. "What did, uh, Astrella say?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, something about someone like Niles not deserving her – but I don't think she put it quite that way." She replied slyly. "I think whatever she said had to do with Draco, and it made Pansy furious, because she stomped off down the hall looking murderous." 

This time Harry poked the dragon. It reared up on its hind legs, then flew and landed on the bed with Autumn, where it curled up next to her arm. He glanced at the empty table next to Draco.

"No gifts for the ferret, eh? Not that he deserves any, but I suppose I feel _slightly_ sorry for him."

He reached into the bag of Golden Snitch Candies and took out one, which he set on the table.

Ginny chuckled under her breath. "If he was _awake_," here Harry just rolled his eyes innocently at the ceiling, "he'd have your head for something like that. Malfoys don't like pity you know."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't have my head yet, does he?" Harry muttered, leaning down so far he was almost in Draco's face. "Let's go."

As the two Gryffindors exited the room, neither noticed the chocolate snitch that came flying at the back of their heads.

* * * * *

__

The girl sped down the hall with a furious confidence. She was staring intently at something on her wrist, but looked up when she heard footsteps ahead of her. A pale, exhausted looking boy was plodding slowly towards the dining hall. She trotted to catch up.

"Hey again. Um, feeling any better since the other night?"

The boy ignored her. 

"Hey… you there?" This time she poked him gently, and he stopped and turned towards her slowly.

Oh gosh no, not her. She had come to be nice to him, to make him feel better. He hadn't felt like talking to her that first night, and he didn't feel like talking to her now. But then - he turned away from her face, contemplating. There were the eyes again. The ones that had tortured him for days now. They had been frightening, yet now in the early morning light, they were so - comforting. 

"I'm fine." He muttered, turning back around and picking up his pace. The girl followed.

"Oh, that's good. Well, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself the other night. I'm Autumn le Fay." She paused, waiting for him to state his name. No reply. Undeterred, she said brightly, "I would have headed down earlier for breakfast, but these robes go horribly with my hair, and I couldn't figure out what to do about it. Not that I usually care, but… you must know how it is, having almost the same color hair I do. Actually I've got honey blonde hair but-" she cut off abruptly as though just realizing she was probably being annoying. 

If he had been like any other boy, he would have said she was acting like a ditz. But she was partially right – green and black just made blondes look washed out. Not like he would admit it or anything. They had arrived in the dining hall, and the girl sat down next to the boy at the Slytherin table.

"Anyway, er, I couldn't fix that, but I decided to wear these bracelets my mum gave me. See, they go really well."

Oh **please**, the boy wanted to groan. He simply glanced at them and nodded his head. She gave a half smile and then set about ignoring him.

WHY ME?! He screamed inwardly.

He answered himself by throwing his head into his arms, choosing to ignore the choking noise coming from the Gryffindor table.

Draco sat up in his hospital bed, the remnants of his dream floating silently away in the darkness. If only it had been just a dream. But he wasn't that fortunate; It was a memory. 

He groaned slightly, mainly out of habit though, considering he had sustained no serious injuries from the Quidditch game the previous day. Madame Pompfrey had ordered 24 hours of observation for him, and it had been exactly that. As students had streamed in and out to see the unconscious Autumn, they hadn't failed to take a peek at the grumpy seeker. Finally he had fallen asleep, his dreams riddled with nightmares and memories.

Throughout the dark hours of the night, when not sleeping restlessly, Draco had come to the realization that a plan for revenge had been forming subconsciously in his mind over the previous month. It was as though it had become so engrained in him that thinking about it was somewhat of an everyday occurrence, such as brushing his hair or eating. 

The actuality of it was that over a weekend break, Draco had discovered a difficult and dangerous looking mass sickness spell. It had been buried in an ebony black book in his father's library. He had passed it off as another of the numerous non-performable spells Voldemort had left in the naïve Lucius Malfoy's dedicated keeping. (His father didn't know, but for years Draco had discovered that many of the supposedly "priceless" and "deadly" spells were no better than pranks a first year could purchase at Hogsmeade.) Yet after reading over the wrinkled page and "happening" to notice that all the kitchen house-elves had come down with serious cases of almost every imaginable sickness, he realized it was just what he needed. Deep in his poisoned mind, Draco knew nothing would please his father more than a work for the Dark Lord; to cast one of Voldemort's own spells successfully.

Of course Draco had never personally liked the dark leader. He had at one time thought him horribly stupid for trying to create such a following as never before known in the wizarding world. But that wasn't the point. The point was: it had worked. Voldemort worked. Even if Draco despised his father with a passion, he knew that for his own sake he had to please him. 

  
But all that mattered now was, he had _failed_.

The Slytherin swung his feet over the side of the bed and stood up slowly. The darkness in the hospital wing was dense, except where the moon poured in through the windows. As the sun had done during the day, the moon did that night. It gave everything it touched an unearthly glow, including Autumn le Fay's peaceful face. Draco walked silently towards her until he was a few inches from the chair where the bludger sat.

The roped bludger. Almost never in his entire life had Draco been so frightened or embarrassed, except for the times when his father had gotten extremely angry, or that time he had been sent deep into the dark woods with Potter. His head still swirled from the endless laps around the field. But why had there been another roped bludger? It took strong magic to create that kind of chaos; last time it had happened a house elf had been responsible. Draco doubted any more of his family's house elves would be allowed to do such a thing, after the foolish Dobby had been allowed a small amount of liberty and ended up working against his master. Draco picked up the bludger and turned it around in his hands. Of course now all enchantments had been removed from it, but it still created a strange tension in him. That bludger had stopped him from casting a very dark spell. The funny thing was, he couldn't be sure if what he was feeling was annoyance or relief.

He set the bludger back down, and then noticed something glittering nearby. He picked up the black cloak draped over the back of the chair and with it a small bracelet. It was silver, with tiny glittering stones inlaid in it. There must have been at least 50 of them, each a different and more beautiful color than the last. Yet there were spots where it seemed a stone was missing, and only a cavity lay. 

__

They must have fallen out at some point or other, Draco thought, wondering if any of the enchanting jewels might be lying on the Quidditch field. 

Suddenly, he was filled with a slight tingling sensation, and would have thought he had his hands on a portkey, if not for the fact he didn't seem to be going anywhere. The tingling became more and more extreme until he was shaking somewhat violently. The bracelet slipped from his hands and fell to the ground, clanging as it hit the floor. Immediately following, Draco heard footsteps coming towards the wing. Without thinking, he threw the cloak over the back of the chair and shoved the bracelet in his pocket. He got back into his bed quickly and pretended to be asleep.

"Miss le Fay? Are you awake?" came Madame Pompfrey's hopeful voice. Draco opened one eye slightly, only to see the nurse sigh, tucking the blankets around Autumn before walking away disappointedly. 

Listening to make sure the nurse's footsteps could be heard no more, Draco sat up and dug the bracelet out of his pocket. No sooner had he touched it than the tingling began again, and he dropped it onto the blankets in his lap. It remained there for some time, under the boy's close scrutiny. 

__

Well, I've ruled out the idea that it's a portkey. And anyway, she couldn't wear a portkey.

Becoming more and more suspicious as to this mysterious artifact's purpose, Draco reached into his Slytherin cloak, draped over a chair next to the bed, and pulled out a handkerchief. With it, he picked up the bracelet and crawled back out of bed.

__

If it's not a portkey, then why isn't she wearing it? I wonder if she's wearing any other bracelets…

Next thing he knew, Draco was standing next to the girl's bed. He reached down and gently pulled her hand out from under the covers. Five green and black bangles chimed softly on her delicate wrist. He stared at them for a moment intently, wondering if at some point there had been six…

Then suddenly, the girl's fingers began to move. Draco turned hastily to go, but found his hand was enclosed tightly in hers. He turned back towards her and strained gently to get loose. Her hand wouldn't let go. He yanked slightly harder, but the grip got even tighter.

__

She's almost as bad as mother when she's angry, he thought, getting increasingly more frightened.

Mustering up a great amount of strength, he jerked harshly, and finally his hand was free. Autumn's arm dropped to her side as Draco hit the floor with a thud. 

__

One minute she saves my life, and the next she's trying to kill me. Knew there was something screwy about her.

He scrambled back into the hospital bed, heart racing, this time telling himself to go to sleep for real and hope not to wake up for a long time.

* * * * *

Draco awoke the next morning to the rumbling of thunder outside the hospital wing windows. He pulled himself into an upright position, stretching his sore legs, and hand. Wait- his _hand_ was sore? He looked down and slowly opened his left palm. In it was clenched the multicolored bracelet wrapped in his handkerchief. A round impression had been left in his hand, which was now sore and raw. 

Autumn was as she had been the night before, lying still and peacefully. The dragon figurine, which had been placed in a small cage the evening before, was stretching and yawning smoke. Draco glanced back down at the bracelet. He wouldn't return it now, after all, he had never seen her wearing it, so why should he assume it belonged to her? His father would surely want to examine it anyway. It might even be of some use to Lucius. Draco shoved it and the handkerchief in his pocket as Madame Pompfrey waltzed towards him.

"Mr. Malfoy, so glad to see you're up bright and early. Though I'm afraid we must forgo the bright part today." She glanced out the rain-spattered window, and then back at Draco. "Well, let's see how you're doing."

She took his chin roughly in her hands and turned his head from left to right and back again. He yanked it away with a scowl. Then she conjured up a glass of pumpkin juice and handed it to him.   
  
"You're alright. Breakfast isn't for another three hours, I'm afraid, so that'll have to do until then. Well, you're free to go. No use staying here until morning."

Draco had a feeling she just didn't want him in the wing awake and alert, and he would have said said something smart if he had felt like it. He gathered up his cloak and meandered out of the wing, slowly making his way towards the Slytherin common room. His left hand remained in his pocket, slowly rotating the bracelet through the handkerchief. As he approached a corner, Draco heard soft voices. He edged towards the corner and leaned his ear towards the muffled conversation.

"-find the right one. She has so many, it might be difficult to know-" came an adolescent voice, cracking slightly as though with fear.

"You'll find it." Returned a hiss. Draco leaned towards the corner a little more. There was a pause, and then suddenly the hissing voice became louder, or was it a different person speaking? Draco couldn't be sure, as it was now unlike any voice he had ever heard. It could be a girl's, but then again, it could be a boy's…

"Morgan le Fay's descendant is important. To me yes, but especially to you. That is why it is important that by whatever means necessary you find the correct –" the voice cut off abruptly and Draco heard a shuffling of feet. He emerged around the corner to see Niles Wynters standing alone in the hall, Professor Snape approaching rapidly from the opposite end.

"Mr. Wynters, fancy seeing you here at such an hour. Mr. Malfoy, I assume Madame Pompfrey dismissed you?" Niles turned and gaped as Draco slid silently towards him. Draco nodded at the potions professor, but Snape didn't notice. He was busy lecturing the aghast Slytherin keeper. 

"-aware of the hour? The prefects aren't even up yet. This is not a time for you to be wandering the halls on your own. Now proceed back to your common room, both of you." And he marched down the hall, his cape billowing menacingly behind.

Niles and Draco turned, each with a disgusted smirk on their faces. The smirk soured to a scowl as they took opposite sides of the hall and continued towards the Slytherin dorms. Neither had ever been very good friends, mainly out of competition. Both were handsome enough in their own ways; Niles had a reddish-brown mop of hair, olive green eyes, and a slightly rounder than usual nose. Both were proud; after all, what Slytherin isn't? Lastly, both had parents closely connected with the dark lord; but their fathers had never been on the best of terms. Draco decided to slice the silence first, mainly out of curiosity.

"You were having a conversation. Who were you talking to before Snape arrived?"

Niles stared straight ahead.

"Come on Wynters, are you going to answer me or not?"

"Pansy. I was talking to Pansy."

Draco threw Niles a mock astonished look.

"Pansy?! If you're telling the truth, which I highly doubt, considering you'd have to tell her Muggles were taking over the world to get her up in the morning, then she apparently had more brains than you. She hid, leaving you to gawk in the hallway when Snape appeared." He snickered.

"She was leaving anyway." The keeper shot a suspicious glance at Draco, and then continued his traipse down the hall.

"What was all that mysterious talk about finding the correct – as a matter of fact, what _were_ you trying to find?" Draco sneered.

"None of your business."

Draco crossed the hall and started walking backwards next to Niles, intent on finding out what he was up to.

"Oh come on, you're not hiding something, are you?" Draco made a wild guess from what he had heard of the conversation. "You were talking about Autumn le Fay." 

Niles stopped dead in his tracks and Draco snatched the opportunity. "You can tell me what it's all about. I'm a fellow Slytherin; we're practically brothers!" He lied through his teeth.

The green-eyed keeper stared blankly at the floor, fumbling with the hem of his sleeve, looking as though he were going to be sick.

"What do you know about Autumn?" he quipped.

Draco, slightly taken aback, replied, "Not a lot, only she can block a bludger bloody well."

"That's not what I meant." Niles looked exasperated. "I mean, about her family background. The le Fay name."

The Slytherin seeker thought a moment, digging in the depths of his mind for any memory of the le Fay name. Something sparked a memory, but he said nothing on the subject.

"Nothing. Just another pure-blooded family with a rather good sized vault at Gringott's." He snapped.

He now noticed Niles scrutinizing him carefully, as though to take apart every thought he had and lay it on the table for observation. It was eerily disconcerting. And then his manner changed. Niles was once again the shrewd, debonair 6th year, laughing in Draco's face.

"As a matter of fact, I was going to get Autumn something. I just didn't know what she might like, considering she has so many gifts already. Pansy was giving me some advice." The handsome Slytherin smoothed his hair and headed down the hall. 

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Oh, yes – a gift for Autumn…" He felt something inside, almost a pang of pain, but shrugged it off as nothing.

He then screwed up his eyebrows, suddenly realizing excactly what Niles had said.

"Advice … at four in the morning?" he muttered under his breath, now more than slightly confused.

* * * * *

  
"Mr. Malfoy, do you intend to join the rest of the class anytime soon?" Professor Snape's voice was almost as bad as nails on a blackboard. 

Draco shot his head up from where it had been, staring at his desk. Crabbe threw him a questioning look. The annoyed Slytherin mouthed back to shut up, and it took Crabbe a few minutes of tension before he realized he hadn't said anything in the first place.

Snape had turned back to a large cauldron and was reading off a list of ingredients in his deep nasal voice.

"- condensed jellyfish sting, three ounces _un_lucky rabbits' feet, and one bottle of muggle rat poison. _I_ supply the rat poison." He sneered, causing Pansy to lower her hand quickly. 

Draco felt something plop next to his chair. He looked down to see a crumpled ball. If Pansy had gotten one spell out of her entire time at Hogwarts, it was _Wingardium Leviosa_, mainly good for passing notes silently in class. Draco dropped his hand down and snatched up the ball. He unfolded it in his lap and strained to read the scribble in the darkness of the dungeon.

__

Took you long enough. Niles said you had serious injuries that caused to you faint. Said you were wandering the halls out of your mind this morning. Whatever it is, snap out of it, I want to go to Hogsmeade this weekend.

~ Pansy

Draco scowled. So Niles was spreading rumors now, was he? Awfully serious injuries and fainting. Wynters had made him out to sound like a girl. Draco preferred to call it _passing out._

He was just about to smash the ball maliciously into the floor with his foot when Madame Hooch came bursting through the door, much to Snape's obvious annoyance.

"Class," she shrieked happily between sniffles, "I have some of the most wonderful news. Miss Autumn le Fay, whom you all saw risk her life, saving our brave Mr. Malfoy, (somewhere in here a snort was heard coming from the general direction of Ronald Weasley) and also both of the Quidditch teams in their entirety –" 

The Quidditch instructor broke off, tears pooling in her eyes. Parvati Patil walked over to her with some embarrassment and handed her a handkerchief.

"Thank you," she sniffled ,"Miss Patil." Draco had a look of apprehensive disgust on his face, but something was silently tugging at him inside.

"As I was saying, wonderful news. Miss le Fay has woken up, and is in perfect health minus a few cuts and scrapes." The class broke into applause sprinkled with cheers. Niles Wynters looked on the verge of fainting. 

Draco smirked. He hoped the idiot got what he wanted. A gossiping, overly cheerful flake for a girlfriend. Yes, that's exactly what Autumn should be for Niles. He deserved no more, the snake. 

Finally in some amount of exasperation, Snape dismissed the class. Pansy glided over to Draco with a look of rapture.

"Merlin, am I glad to be rid of that blubbering idiot," she glared at Niles, "So, on Saturday it's off to Hogsmeade? I was thinking, just the two of us, drop in at the Hog's Head…" 

Pansy continued describing her idea of a perfect weekend, all the while twirling a strand of blue-black hair. Draco was thinking of his own idea of a perfect weekend though.

"I won't be able to do that, Pans. Have a few plans of my own," he scowled.

The Slytherin put on an air of mock surprise.   
  
"You've got… plans of your own…" she giggled, "Can't wait to hear them."

Draco glared at her. "Honestly, do you think everything everyone ever does is for your sole benefit and pleasure? I'm busy," he drawled.

He shoved her away and headed for the door, left hand in pocket; right, restraining from pulling out large amounts of hair.

* * * * *

A/N: I want to incorperate more characters from the HP series, but of course I can't have them all**. Please tell me what characters from the four books you'd like to see in the story some time in the future! Or just tell me to put an already exsisting character in more often** :] (No new OotP characters or OC ideas please. I'm done with OCs for this story. Too many make it unrealistic.)

Guess how you do it!!? REVIEW!!!!! 3


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